Ramrod Hole Drill HDTDT

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

Here is another HDTDT (How Did They Do That?).  This is an original ramrod hole drill, I don't know the age, but probably 19th c.  It consists of a nose auger bit welded to the end of a long rod with the typical tapered square end for a brace bitstock.  The overall length is 48.25", the rod diameter is 0.324", the cutter diameter is 0.380" (measured across the largest dimension, it may have cut a somewhat larger hole in use).  The tiny cutting edge on the tip of the nose auger is chipped off, but it is in otherwise very good condition.  If you check any online research on nose augers (AKA shell augers) you will find that they were especially good at drilling very straight holes in dense, endgrain wood (unlike modern twist drills that are especially good at drilling very crooked holes in dense, endgrain wood!)  This is the only original ramrod hole drill that I have ever seen.

Jim

[Acer Saccharum]

Cool drill. I am amazed at the skills people had/have in handwork over the centuries. A seemingly simple tool like this takes a LOT of skill to make.

[Chris Treichel]

A book I have on musical instrument construction has the plans for making this type of
bit. I think I posted the picture somewhere on here.

[Paddlefoot]

What did they use this sort of bit for in musical instrument construction Chris?

[Mark Elliott]

This is basically a gouge,  and I have a book on blacksmithing for wood carvers, called Modern Blacksmithing, that shows you how to make something like this.   Basically,  you need to make a jig with a matching swage and a fuller.    You then stick the hot rod in the jig and hit the top fuller part with a big hammer a lot of times.   It is that simple.

[Paddlefoot]

So the tip on this should be sort of scoop shaped?

[Elnathan]

A book I have on musical instrument construction has the plans for making this type of
bit. I think I posted the picture somewhere on here.

This is it, I think. I couldn't find your original post so I took the liberty of uploading the copy I downloaded and posting it here:

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

The original ramrod hole drill uses a nose or shell auger cutting tip, which was a tool used to give a straight hole in end grain wood.  A similar looking spoon bit had a different use, which was to drill holes at angles to the wood grain.  Most often those holes drilled at weird angles in the seat of Windsor chairs for the legs and back were done with spoon bits.  The photo below shows spoon bits as 452 and 453, and nose bits as 454 and 455.  See the difference in the cutting tip?  The original ramrod drill is a nose bit, but with the little cutting lip or edge broken or chipped off.



Here is another photo of a nose bit with a more intact cutting lip.


All I can say is 100% of the original ramrod hole drills I have seen have been nose bits.  Hah!  This is the ONLY one I have seen!

Jim

[Chris Treichel]

In musical instrument construction its apparently used for making instruments with straight bores like flutes...

[Paddlefoot]

Much clearer Chris. Thanks. Flutes and piccolos make sense too.

[Chris Treichel]

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=23927.0 Here is the origional post with the instructions. 

[Mark Elliott]

Has anyone made one of these bits?  I drill my holes using the drills that TOF sells, using a brace.    I have to go really slow to keep the bit from wandering too far off course and it is very tedious.   The bit scrapes more than it cuts and the dust gets under the bit to push it off course.   I have to pull it out and clean out the hole every couple of minutes.   The whole process takes about and hour and half.   There has got to be a more efficient drill bit that actually cuts.   I would like to make one of these and would appreciate any tips.   Is the end of the bit welded, or ar the two little tabs just bent up and filed to shape?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I recently bought three rod hole drills from TOW, and used the 7/16" bit on the current project.  the hole came out in the perfect location without any wandering whatsoever.  It took some time - perhaps 20 minutes though I did not time it.  I drilled using a big 1/2" chuck hand held electric drill.  I do not put pressure on the pistol grip handle of the drill, but rather on the back end of the drill in line with the bit, leaving the drill constantly turned on.  I withdrew the bit every 1/2" or so, and applied bees wax to the warm bit.  These drills are oversized so a rod that is 7/16" will go in easily.  The 5/16" and 3/8" bits too are both oversized by quite a bit.  Considerable pressure is required to get it to cut.  But it goes straight.

[Jim Kibler]

I assume the ones TOW sells are the standard deep hole design.  Probably those made by Dru Hedgecock.  I don't mess around when drilling ramrod holes.  Here's my experience....  Have the groove pointed in the right direction, start the hole properly, don't clamp or squeeze the bit with much pressure and have at it.  I spin it pretty fast with a 3/8" drill and clear the chips every so often.  These drills will only cut so far until the pack with chips.  I don't know how long a hole takes for me, but probably not more than ten or fifteen minutes.  Maybe less.

[Habu]

Has anyone made one of these bits?  I drill my holes using the drills that TOF sells, using a brace.    I have to go really slow to keep the bit from wandering too far off course and it is very tedious.   The bit scrapes more than it cuts and the dust gets under the bit to push it off course.   I have to pull it out and clean out the hole every couple of minutes.   The whole process takes about and hour and half.   There has got to be a more efficient drill bit that actually cuts.   I would like to make one of these and would appreciate any tips.   Is the end of the bit welded, or ar the two little tabs just bent up and filed to shape?

I've made a couple of these--one actually worked!  Follow the directions in Chris Treichel's original post exactly.  Much to my dismay, I didn't when I made the first (non-working) bit.  No weld, just bent to shape and forged with support to the inside, so the piece that goes under supports the actual cutting edge.  Bring the edge to about a spring temper. 

If I ever, for some reason, had occasion to make another of these, I would bump up the metal that will become the cutting edge so it is about 10-15% thicker.  I have a hunch this would make a bit that might be a little easier to sharpen, and a cutting edge that would flex/vibrate a bit less.  (On the other hand, I couldn't get that flat bit shown in the same drawing to work for sour owlspit, and wound up making a piloted bit to enlarge the hole I was boring.) 

There may be at least one other option.  On occasion, nose bits turn up on the British ebay, and in the stock of some UK tool dealers.  A WTB note to one of the dealers might find you one that you could later use for a pattern--if it works for you. 

As for cutting speed with a shell bit, they just aren't fast.  As I recall, using a brace, it took me about 25 minutes to drill a 1/4" hole about 12" long.  Chucked up in a breast drill, it was around 15 minutes to drill a similar hole with the same bit.  I used maple for the practice pieces (offcuts from a stock blank, actually).  When I got to the boxwood, I wound up using a twist bit, and boring the hole on the lathe.

If you try one, do remember to frequently check to be sure the shell isn't packing with shavings and dust: if it does, the hole will start to wander and become a bit oversize. 

[Mark Elliott]

Thanks Habu.   That is the information I wanted.   I do want to make one and try it.   

[David R. Pennington]

Thanks Jim for sharing. This is the kind of stuff I love to see. I may try to make one of those. 

[Mark Elliott]

I was playing around with two of the TOW drill bits today using two different tip configurations.   The standard one seems to work best, but sharpening both made a considerable difference in performance with a brace.  They don't stay sharp long though; not for an entire hole.  Also, relieving the area behind the cut out portion of the drill just a bit helps tremendously. 

[David R. Pennington]

Up till now I have made my own ram rod hole drills by brazing a rod onto a brad point wood drill. The best plan is to use drill that is shanked down to 1/4" then drill end of the rod to accept it and then silver solder or braze together. I have butt jointed them and brazed together with brass rod and haven't broken one yet. I only use bit brace and lube with tallow and pull it often to clear chips. Works great.